You can rush over competitions like the Champions League all you want, but the FA Cup will always have a special place in the hearts of most football fans.
Over the years, we have been treated to some absolutely incredible FA Cup bands and especially the semifinals have thrown up some classics.
With teams just a victory away from securing their place at the show event in the world’s oldest football competition, the drama and passion displayed is on a level you may have never seen before.
So here’s the 90 min ranking of the ten biggest FA Cup semi-finals of all time, all the way down to the best of them all …
Coventry vs Leeds may not be a fixture that jumps from the sidelines like a classic but their 1987 meeting was exactly that.
David Rennie gave Leeds the lead at Hillsborough before Micky Gynn’s hard work leveled the score in the second half.
The Sky Blues edged forward with the permission of FA Cup specialist Keith Houchen’s strike ten minutes from time, although their joy was short-lived as substitute Keith Edwards made it 2-2 late.
Dave Bennett was on hand to shoot home in the first half of extra time and Leeds had no answer as Coventry advanced to the final where they won – again by a 3-2 point – over Tottenham.
Alan Cork and Carlton Palmer during Wednesday’s victory over city rivals United 1993 | Getty Images / Getty Images
Isn’t that just the most 90’s photo you’ve ever seen? What happened to bald football players? They need to make a comeback.
Anyway, Sheffield neighbors Wednesday and United went head to head at Wembley in 1993. Chris Waddle pulled the strings in the middle of the pitch for the Owls and his fantastic free kick opened the scoring with just under two minutes on the clock.
Alan Cork equalized at halftime and with neither side able to find a winner, the game went into extra time.
Both goalkeepers were in inspired form as the illusory winning goal looked like it would never come, but Mark Bright’s clinical nod put Wednesday at the top of the Steel City derby with a 2-1 victory.
That picture of Ryan Gigg’s chest mat gives some memories, right?
Probably even more iconic than the goal itself (which by the way was not bad), the roller threw himself at Patrick Vieira’s loose ball in extra time to book Manchester United’s place in the FA Cup final in 1999 – which they apparently won.
Even before Gigg’s solo goal, we had been treated with an absolute child storm, with Dennis Bergkamp interrupting David Beckham’s opener, while Arsenal had one goal rejected and United were reduced to ten men.
Bergkamp had the chance to win the match in the last minute of normal time but was denied by Peter Schmeichel from the penalty spot in what turned out to be a classic FA Cup semi-final.
Neil Webb from Manchester United and Earl Barrett from Oldham | Simon Bruty / Getty Images
Manchester United met second level Oldham on Maine Road in 1990 and it turned out to be a game that people of a certain age will never forget.
The Red Devils were stunned early on when Earl Barrett put the Minnows ahead, although second-half goals from Bryan Robson and Neil Webb looked to have secured United’s place in the final.
But Ian Marshall’s goal ten minutes from time sent the game to extra time, and after Danny Wallace put United forward again, Oldham came back for the second time thanks to Roger Palmer’s late goal.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side won the replay 2-1 after Mark Robin’s extra time goal and they went on to lift their seventh FA Cup at Wembley.
If Ryan Gigg’s goal against Arsenal is one of the most iconic strikes in the FA Cup, then Paul Gascogine’s free kick against the same opponent is up there.
Gazza’s magic piece for Spurs was made even better by his schoolboy celebration, before a typical poacher’s goal from Gary Lineker doubled Tottenham’s lead.
Gunners frontman Alan Smith halved the deficit with a high header in the second half, but Spurs kept their place in the final when David Seaman allowed Lineker’s attempt to slip through his hands.
Terry Venable’s men would beat Nottingham Forest in the final just a month later.
You will notice that Spurs have been in their fair share of dramatic FA Cup semi-finals throughout this list.
One of the newer classics came in 2017 when Antonio Contes Chelsea made a short trip to Wembley to face Mauricio Pochettino Tottenham.
Willian gave the Blues the lead with a fantastic free kick before Harry Kane equalized. Dele Alli’s wonderful connecting game with Kane saw Tottenham take second place shortly after Willian had given Chelsea the lead from the penalty spot, although it would be Conte’s side who would get the last laugh.
Eden Hazard’s introduction changed the game when his left – hand drive found the bottom corner to give Chelsea the lead and they saved best for last when Nemanja Matics’ arrow driver secured a 4-2 victory.
Spurs On This Day: 1962 – Spurs beat Manchester United 3-1 in the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough to reach the Wembley final for the second year in a row # COYS #THFC
⚽️ @ jimmy_greaves⚽️ @ Cliff_Jones11⚽️ Terry Medwin pic.twitter.com/s9M3qLRQFP
– E-Spurs (@e_spurs) March 31, 2018
Spurs again.
This time it is a collision all the way back in 1962 when Matt Busby’s Manchester United side were knocked out of the competition by Tottenham.
Jimmy Greaves opened the scoring with a left-footed attempt before Cliff Jones’ header doubled Tottenham’s lead halfway through the first half.
United’s David Herd offered late hope when he scored 2-1, although Terry Medwin’s late strike secured Tottenham’s way through the final.
United fans at Euston station for FA Cup Semi-Final Replay against Fulham at Highbury, March 26, 1958 … pic.twitter.com/TiaDoY1OhL
– Red_Devil (@ RetroRed2) February 4, 2020
How can a game that ends 5-3 not be entertaining?
Scottish frontman Alex Dawson was the hour-long hero for United when he hit a hat-trick, while Shay Brennan and Bobby Charlton completed the points for the Red Devils at Hillsborough.
Fulham put up a lively battle when Arthur Stevens, Trevor Chamberlain and Roy Dwight all got on the points side, but it was not for the West Londoners when United advanced to the final where they were beaten by a Nat Lofthouse-inspired Bolton Wanderers.
When Crystal Palace met a Liverpool side who had crushed them 9-0 seven months earlier, no one gave the Eagles much chance.
The clash looked like planning when Ian Rush gave Liverpool the lead, although Mark Bright struck back at an unlikely equalizer. If it was unexpected, Gary O’Reilly’s goal was to put Palace ahead, but goals from Steve McMahon and John Barnes had the Reds in the driver’s seat with five minutes to play.
But Andy Gray managed to climb home an equalizer with two minutes of normal time left, and in extra time Palace made the unthinkable because Alan Pardew (yes, he used to play football before he became a strange dance director) drove home a head to beat Liverpool.
There really can only be one winner.
Big spenders Middlesbrough took their star-studded squad to Old Trafford to face Division Two (now known as League One) Chesterfield.
The Spireites aimed to be the first third level to ever reach the FA Cup final and they got an early advantage when Vladimir Kinder received a second yellow card.
Goals from Andrew Morris and a Sean Dyche penalty (yes, he used to be a player too) put Chesterfield in dreamland before Fabrizio Ravanelli withdrew a goal – it’s the man who scored in the Champions League final the season before just to give you an idea of golf in class.
Jonathan Howard’s effort appeared to have crossed the line to give Chesterfield a third but referee David Elleray did not agree until Craig Hignett rubbed salt in the wounds with a penalty to take the tie in extra time.
Gianluca Festa gave Boro the lead in overtime (watch out for Juninho’s fantastic attempt for a dive in the build-up) before Jamie Hewitt’s last minute strike sent the game into a replay.
Boro won the resulting boring deal 1-0, but their first collision will live long in the memory.
